The embassy urged all U.S. citizens to leave Russia immediately but gave no further details.
Moscow, Russia:
The U.S. Embassy in Russia warned that “extremists” were about to plan an attack in Moscow, hours after Russian security services said they foiled a planned shooting at a synagogue by a group affiliated with the Afghan branch of the Islamic State.
The U.S. Embassy has repeatedly urged all U.S. citizens to leave Russia immediately, without providing further details on the nature of the threat but saying people should avoid concerts and crowds and be aware of their surroundings.
“The embassy is monitoring reports of imminent plans by extremists to target large gatherings in Moscow, including concerts, and U.S. citizens should be advised to avoid large gatherings over the next 48 hours,” the embassy said on its website.
The warning came hours after Russia’s Federal Security Service, the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB, said it foiled an attack by the Sunni Muslim extremist group Islamic State on a synagogue in Moscow.
It is unclear whether the two statements are related.
The war in Ukraine triggered the most serious crisis in relations between Russia and the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. The Kremlin accuses the United States of antagonizing Russia by providing funding, weapons and intelligence support to Ukraine.
Russia’s Federal Security Service said that a branch of the “Islamic State” organization is operating in Russia’s Kaluga region. The organization is part of the organization’s Afghan branch, which is called “Islamic State-Korasan” and seeks to establish operations in Afghanistan. , Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Iran established caliphates.
The group first emerged in eastern Afghanistan in late 2014 and has a reputation for extreme brutality.
The FSB said the gang was “preparing to use firearms to attack synagogue congregants”.
When captured, the extremists were resisted by Russian special forces and “pinned down” by return fire, the report said.
“Firearms, ammunition and components for the manufacture of improvised explosive devices were discovered and seized,” the Federal Security Service said.
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